Orlando Joins Florida's Stadium Boom With $420 Million Bond Sale
The city plans to sell about $420 million of tax-exempt bonds on Thursday to modernize the open-air football stadium and expand its seating capacity. The deal will also fund a new multipurpose events center on the stadium's campus. The debt is backed by a portion of Orange County's tourism tax, with the county providing support if revenues fall short.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Raising Cane's opening new locations in 6 states in August. Here's where.
Raising Cane's is continuing its expansion this summer. After opening five new restaurants in July, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based chain known for its chicken fingers said in a statement to USA TODAY it is opening seven more locations across six states in August, including its first restaurant in the Long Beach, California area. Other states getting new locations include Florida, Wisconsin and Maryland, among others, Raising Cane's said in an emailed statement on July 28. Here's what to know about this month's Raising Cane's openings. Which states are getting new Raising Cane's locations? New restaurants are scheduled to open at the following locations on the following dates, according to the chain: Aug. 5: 323 William S Canning Blvd., Fall River, Massachusetts Aug. 5: 2742 Tyrone Blvd N., St. Petersburg, Florida Aug. 7: 1850 Oakland Ave., Indiana, Pennsylvania Aug. 12: 1741 Claribel Rd., Riverbank, California Aug. 19: 6803 Ritchie Hwy., Glen Burnie, Maryland Aug. 19: 3740 WI-16, La Crosse, Wisconsin Aug. 26: 119 E. Carson St., Long Beach, California What is Raising Cane's? The company sells chicken sandwiches and chicken finger combos including crinkle-cut fries, Texas Toast, coleslaw and Cane's sauce, which the company says is made with a "special blend of spices." Raising Cane's owner Todd Graves initially planned to call his restaurant Sockeye's, a nod to the salmon he once fished in Alaska. However, a friend suggested he name the company after his yellow Labrador Retriever, Raising Cane, who spent lots of time at the construction site of the first Raising Cane's location at the north gates of Louisiana State University. The dog, Cane I, served as the company's mascot until he died in 1998, according to the chain. He was friendly and loved to wear Graves' sunglasses. Raising Cane's second mascot, Cane II, stepped into her role in 1999. She was a therapy dog who visited hospital patients around the country. As the company mascot, Cane II spent time at the company's Restaurant Support Office and attended community events until 2016. Most recently, Cane III, born in 2017, was appointed mascot. "She loves visiting Raising Cane's Restaurants and receiving belly rubs from crewmembers," the company said, noting that Raising Cane's fans can follow her on social media at @RaisingCane3. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@ Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Raising Cane's opening new restaurant locations in 6 states in August
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Veteran IT Leader Will Decatur Joins MET Florida Board
Decatur's appointment highlights years of hands-on innovation and growth across Southwest Florida's IT sector. 'I've always believed IT should be invisible when it's working right,'— — Will Decatur, CTO, MET Florida FORT MYERS, FL, UNITED STATES, August 1, 2025 / / -- METFlorida is proud to announce the appointment of Will Decatur to its Board of Directors, formalizing a leadership role that has already shaped the company's growth for more than six years. Since taking on the position of Chief Technology Officer in 2018, Decatur has led the company's expansion from a boutique IT operation into a fully managed services provider serving businesses and government agencies across Southwest Florida. His board appointment marks a new chapter in MET Florida's evolution—one that reflects both the company's commitment to local economic impact and its increasing investment in emerging technologies like intelligent automation and AI-driven infrastructure. 'I've always believed IT should be invisible when it's working right,' said Decatur. 'Our job is to eliminate the distractions, clean up the noise, and help businesses get back to focusing on what they do best. Joining the board gives me a broader platform to ensure that mission stays at the core of everything we do.' Decatur's track record with MET Florida includes projects ranging from EHR deployments and data center builds to regional Microsoft 365 rollouts and zero-trust security initiatives. He's also played a key role in developing the company's multi-tiered service model, which offers Tier 1 through Tier 4 support—from help desk to executive technology strategy—under a single, transparent agreement. One of the largest growth drivers was the inclusion of at-cost software licensing for managed service clients—allowing businesses to consolidate expenses and avoid paying inflated retail rates for essential platforms like Microsoft 365, endpoint security, and cloud infrastructure. The approach has been especially effective for small to mid-sized businesses with limited IT staff, or large corporations seeking deep licensing discounts. Instead of relying on one overworked technician or juggling multiple vendors, clients get streamlined support with predictable billing and access to a deep bench of expertise. Under Decatur's technical leadership, MET Florida has solidified its presence in Southwest Florida, with ongoing efforts to expand into adjacent markets. His recent initiatives also include establishing the company as a registered vendor with regional governments, preparing it to compete for contracts involving public infrastructure, smart city initiatives, and municipal automation. 'A big part of my role has always been education,' Decatur added. 'Helping clients understand not just the technology, but how it impacts their compliance, their operations, and their bottom line. That's something we've baked into every service we offer.' In 2023, MET Florida formally restructured as a Florida-based C-corporation to support long-term growth and public sector alignment. The shift allowed the company to scale its licensing, compliance, and security offerings, while continuing to provide personalized service to the small business community. With a strong foundation in place, Decatur's board seat will allow him to focus more intently on MET Florida's strategic roadmap—advising on R&D investments, AI service lines, cybersecurity frameworks, and multi-vendor ecosystems designed to serve highly regulated industries. The board appointment also serves as a milestone in Decatur's broader career, one rooted in practical engineering and entrepreneurial execution. Prior to joining MET Florida, he led large-scale digital transformation efforts, including a multi-year modernization of the eScholar data platform for the state of Texas—one of the largest educational data systems in the country. In that role, he focused on managing secure identity for millions of student records and aligning cross-district operations—ensuring data integrity without unnecessary technical disruption. He also led the end-to-end development of a $2 million electronic health records system for a Texas healthcare organization, overseeing the full project lifecycle—from scoping and stakeholder alignment to compliance planning and go-live execution. Across both public and private sector work, Decatur has built a reputation for managing large teams, coordinating interdepartmental efforts, and aligning technical delivery with organizational strategy—all while staying accountable to budget and performance benchmarks. His leadership style emphasizes pragmatic innovation. 'AI, automation, cloud—these aren't buzzwords to me,' said Decatur. 'They're tools we use every day to reduce friction, cut costs, and improve outcomes for real businesses.' Decatur's role as both board member and CTO signals MET Florida's intention to stay agile and engineer-first as it expands its offerings in AI implementation, IT compliance, and small business enablement across the state. Beyond client work, Decatur has also been instrumental in supporting Southwest Florida's broader tech ecosystem. He's mentored up-and-coming IT professionals, partnered with local colleges for workforce development initiatives, and supported regional nonprofits in implementing secure, modern infrastructure. Looking ahead, Decatur plans to help MET Florida deepen its partnerships with local municipalities, education providers, and cloud vendors. His goal is to strengthen the company's ability to support digital modernization efforts across industries—especially those grappling with tight budgets, legacy systems, or heightened compliance pressures. 'We're entering a phase where automation and secure infrastructure are no longer nice-to-haves,' Decatur said. 'They're foundational. And our clients need solutions that meet those demands without breaking their budgets or disrupting their day-to-day.' ________________________________________ About MET Florida Founded in 2005, as METVI and later as METFL, merging these companies in 2023 to form MET Florida, MET Florida is a managed IT and technology services provider headquartered in Southwest Florida. The company specializes in IT support, cybersecurity, infrastructure, licensing, automation, and compliance for small and mid-sized organizations across healthcare, legal, nonprofit, and public sectors. MET Florida's mission is to give growing organizations a true technology partner—one that delivers high-quality, transparent, and deeply accountable support without the cost and complexity of traditional IT models. Through its multi-tiered service structure and vendor-neutral philosophy, the company provides a flexible approach to IT, offering clients everything from day-to-day troubleshooting to high-level infrastructure planning and project execution. MET Florida also maintains strong relationships with local ISPs, software providers, and cloud platforms, enabling integrated solutions that align with clients' business goals. As a Microsoft Partner and regional advocate for ethical tech adoption, MET Florida is committed to building long-term, trust-based relationships. From Naples to Sarasota, the company continues to lead by example—bridging the gap between innovation and execution. For more information or to schedule a free consultation visit MET Florida today. Michael Davis PR News email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Cost Of Homes in Florida's 6 Best Counties for Snowbird Retirees
The term 'snowbird' used to mean something totally different. It was meant, with insult, to describe vagabonds and dishonest hucksters. Over the years, a new, neutral definition of the word emerged. If not an actual bird, a snowbird is, according to Merriam-Webster, 'one who travels to warm climates for the winter.' Read More: Find Out: According to an analysis by Florida Rentals, the best Florida counties for retired snowbirds (based on the number of residents over the age of 65, the combined state and local sales tax, the average monthly cost of living and typical weather conditions) are the following six. Each of these counties has seen home prices drop by as much as 11.1% over the past year. 6. Collier County Cities within this county: Everglades, Marco Island, Naples Average home value: $572,308 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -7.0% Discover Next: 5. Indian River County Cities within this county: Fellsmere, Florida Ridge, Gifford, Indian River Shores, Orchid, Roseland, Sebastian, South Beach, Vero Beach (county seat), Vero Beach South, Wabasso, Wabasso Beach, West Vero Corridor, Windsor, Winter Beach Average home value: $369,225 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -5.1% 4. Charlotte County Cities within this county: Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, South Venice, Rotonda, Charlotte Harbor, Harbour Heights, Suncoast Estates, Burnt Store Marina, Cleveland, Manasota Key, Grove City Average home value: $313,691 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -11.1% 3. Sumter County Cities within this county: Bushnell, Webster, Wildwood, Coleman, Center Hill Average home value: $397,322 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -1.6% 2. Highlands County Cities within this county: Avon Park, Lake Placid, Lorida, Sebring, Venus Average home value: $235,720 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -2.3% 1. Citrus County Cities within this county: Beverly Hills, Crystal River, Dunnellon, Floral City, Hernando, Holder, Homosassa, Homosassa Springs, Inverness, Lecanto Average home value: $278,317 Value difference between June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2025: -3.5% More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard 6 Popular SUVs That Aren't Worth the Cost -- and 6 Affordable Alternatives 6 Hybrid Vehicles To Stay Away From in Retirement This article originally appeared on The Cost Of Homes in Florida's 6 Best Counties for Snowbird Retirees
